Ghana: ECG Staff In Hot Water As PAC Orders Prosecution Over GHC180 Million Unapproved Spending

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Ghana’s Parliament has directed that some staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) responsible for unapproved budget overruns amounting to over GHC180 million in 2023 face prosecution.

During the committee’s sitting on Tuesday, October 28, Ranking Member Samuel Atta-Mills disclosed that ECG exceeded expenditure on thirteen budget line items without the approval of the company’s board, citing findings from the Auditor-General’s report.

According to the report, while the company budgeted GHC2.8 million, GHC4.2 million, GHC40 million, and GHC3.1 million for staff fuel, communication, consultancy, and stakeholder expenses respectively, actual spending ballooned to GHC3.6 million, GHC7.9 million, GHC58.6 million, and GHC49 million — all without board approval.

“Staff fuel — did they drive around the world? The budget was 2.8, yet you spent 3.6 million. Communication expenses — ECG budgeted 4.2 million but spent 7.9 million. Consultancy — the budget was 40 million, but you spent 58.6 million. All these were done without board approval. Stakeholder expenses — the budget was 3.1 million, yet you spent 49 million, and you still want to increase tariffs,” Mr. Atta-Mills stated.

He further recommended that the managers involved be referred to the Attorney General for prosecution over what he described as financial indiscipline.

“This is a clear case of financial indiscipline. Those managers who were involved should face the Attorney General for prosecution,” he added.

The names of the ECG staff implicated in the matter have not yet been disclosed.